


The ROSY Initiative

by the_seven_mortal_instruments



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Darkest Minds (2018), The Darkest Minds Series - Alexandra Bracken
Genre: Anyways, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Because I can, F/F, F/M, Gen, How Do I Tag, M/M, Why?, also no hate on straight/cis/dudes/white people, and also @trashforclace on tumblr when we were talking about it, author is bad at planning but im trying my best, basically this is a very specific au, bc we're kinda besties, but fear not, but not all three, except for my brain, follow me on tumblr btw, haven't written in either of these fandoms yet so yay for that, i'll do a better explanation in the notes, i'm very excited to get this started, its @unicornfangirlofthehighestorder, lets get some variety, literally no one asked for this, my goal here is that no one is straight/cis and white and male, no full-on smut bc author is ace!, oh yeah, so hopefully you won't get confused, some will appear to be all three, talk about the work, thats a little important, their character will be expanded on, there's just of lot of yall, they can be one or two of those, what else do i need to do here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 16:14:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17267291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_seven_mortal_instruments/pseuds/the_seven_mortal_instruments
Summary: Citana Tamayo is the only free Red in the country. After escaping from PSFS taking Reds and Oranges from Thurmond to who-knows-where, and all that’s led up to where she is now, she expects the worst, even as billionaire Tony Stark takes her and her friends Rie and Peter under his wing. The oddest part? It’s the first thing she’s done in a while that’s completely legal. She’s a part of what Stark calls the ROSY Initiative, and it’s likely her only route to happiness.Meanwhile, Cassander Hershowitz has only been at East River for two weeks, but he still feels like something's off. Specifically, he thinks something about Clancy Gray isn't quite right. Maybe it’s because the Orange seems to do nothing in his cabin all day while everyone else works, or maybe it’s his sour mood―though that’s rumored to be recent, after the desertion of his  colleague last month. Either way, Cassander is convinced that something's off about Clancy, especially once Ruby Dalys, another Orange, arrives at East River with 3 other kids, including Liam Stewart―the guy responsible for the breakout that set him free from Caledonia. Things are getting too crazy for him, but what can he do? East River is the only real option for Psi kids. But is it?





	The ROSY Initiative

**Author's Note:**

> Congrats! you've made it through the shitshow that is my tags and was interested enough by my description (fun fact: that description was over 200 characters over the limit so I had to do a bunch of shortening) to make it here, to the first chapter! This is an AU/crossover in which the  
> avengers exists in the time and universe of The Darkest Minds, so:
> 
> To my Marvel fans that haven't read/seen The Darkest Minds (p.s. i've only read the books, so that's what I'm using), I will try to incorporate essential information into chapters, but here's a basic crash course on what you'll need to know:  
> The Darkest Minds is set in a modern-day America that is plagued by a disease called IAAN. The disease affects children, and is deadly to most of them. Those who didn't die, however, were impacted by the change in... interesting ways. The disease impacts the brain, so the survivors get certain mental skills, which are sorted in color catagories as follows, from what's considered most powerful to least:  
> Red: control over fire
> 
> Orange: various forms of mind reading/mind control
> 
> Yellow(called Gold in the movie): control over electricity
> 
> Blue: Telekinesis (moving things with your mind)
> 
> Green: photographic memory or extremely high deduction skills
> 
> The government, scared of these mutations, put the children in camps, telling their parents and the rest of America that they were structured rehabilitation programs, made to help their children survive, but they were more like containment or work camps for the colors lower on the scale, and eventual death camps or just the beginning for the more powerful classifications. The economy has hit the ground, and many people from the ages of 18-40 have been drafted into the army, some into the special form of the military called the PSFs, who are in charge of watching over Psi, the name of the survivors of IAAN. Still more became skip tracers, a sort of bounty hunters for Psi on the loose, getting money for turning in Psi to the PSFs.  
> For my TDM fans who aren't Marvel fans: don't worry! Each Avenger will be introduced, and I'm sure you'll love them!  
> Alright, now that we're done with that, let's talk about how things like updates are likely going to go. First and foremost, I have a very busy life. I am an athlete, I'm a student, and I'm in charge of hair and makeup for my school's musical and likely the play this year. Basically, this will be updated super irregularly. Secondly, this has been in my head for a while. That means that there's actually a plot to this and some general planning. There will be some breaks and some fluffy bits and some chapters that are more focused on the characters and their relationships with others and themselves than the whole overarching plot. 
> 
> Because this follows the plot of the Darkest Minds series, this will contain spoilers for that series. Don't say I didn't warn you. 
> 
> Finally, before I let you get into Chapter 1 (props to you if you read this whole thing it's loonnngggg), just know that 3 of our main characters are original characters of mine, those being Citana, Rie, and Cassander (who you don't meet until chapter 2), and the POV for the chapter will be announced in the notes. This chapter's story will be told by Citana, one of my original characters!
> 
> Note: AO3 is saying that this work is only one chapter, I don't know why, I have the multiple chapter box checked, but just know that this is nowhere near done.

“We seriously can’t go _anywhere_ without someone finding us?”  Citana complained as she saw the two vans blocking the exit of the old Target Rie, Peter, and herself had been hiding out in for less than a day.  

“Everyone wants a piece of a Red on the run, sweetie!”  Rie teased, but not without a ring of bitterness in her voice.  Citana knew that it wasn’t aimed towards her, instead about how screwed up the world turned out to be for them.  They backed up to where the doors were, shoulder to shoulder, Rie’s once-shaved head, now sporting hair that was falling in her eyes as she turned her head from side to side, analyzing the situation.  Citana felt the familiar dry heat as she focused on conjuring up something to get them out of here, visible to the observer as her dark eyes taking on a red hue. She could see Peter glaring at a desk as it shifted in its place and a rogue spark in between Rie’s fingers in her peripheral vision, but the real world was a blur, something out of focus as Citana descended into the depths of her mind, where the fire was.  Where her trapped anger was. She felt her arm twitch as she struggled for control over her emotions. But before Citana could regain her usual control, a shout brought her back to the physical world, where a helicopter had landed and there was man in a suit shouting.

“Please, do not fire on us!  We are not bounty hunters or PSFs, we’re here to help!”  Citana rolled her eyes and started her descent over again, but she saw Peter set the desk down and Rie’s eyes lose the yellow glow that had appeared before Citana descended the first time, and she let go of her power.

“Hi, my name is Tony Stark, and I’m here to take you up on an offer.”  Citana raised an eyebrow, her eyes flickering between the expensive suit, freshly trimmed hair, and designer sunglasses, and then to the clothes and shoes the three of them had stolen from various stores, Rie’s close-cropped hair, and Peter squinting at this man in the early morning sunlight.

“I have received permission from the government to take in a few Psi of each color to see if you could be rehabilitated into this world on a more individual level.  Officially, this is known as the ROSY Initiative.” Citana made a motion with my hand for him to continue.

“I can’t say anymore in public, not without other, more hostile groups trying to take advantage of any of us,” he admitted.  “But you may leave any time you wish.” The trio exchanged looks and had a silent conversation. At least two minutes passed before they seemed to come to a sort of consensus.

“We will go with you,”  Rie said slowly. “But we hold you to your word that, in the event that we would like to leave, we will be able to easily and without apprehension.”  Citana crossed her arms as she scanned the whole situation again.

“That’s fantastic!” Tony exclaimed.  “Anyways, we are almost all the way across the U.S. from where you will be staying, so would you please hop in,” and gestured to the helicopter.

“Wait, actually?” Peter questioned.  Tony just smiled.

“Yes, actually.”

 

o0O0o

 

Citana was the last one out when the helicopter finally landed.  Stepping carefully off the pad, she realized how high up they were.  Around the tower, there was a city, but there were no glows of streetlights, no people on the sidewalks, and, strangest of all, not a whisper of sound.  Peter’s eyes widened.

“Uh, Mr. Stark?” he stuttered out.

“Yes, Peter?”  They had had proper introductions on the long ride there.

“Are we in New York, by any chance?”

“Yes, we are.  Do you know the area?”  Tony asked.

“I grew up in Queens,” Peter said softly.  Tony nodded. Rie and Citana knew that there was a lot more to the story, but the two girls remained silent.  Tony cleared his throat.

“If you would like to come inside, you should be introduced to the rest of the team.”

“Wait just a second there,”  Citana put up a finger. “ _Team?_ ” Tony nodded.

“The Avengers team.  Now you get to meet who you will be living with for as long as you’re here.”  With a nod to the driver of the helicopter, he led the three teens down to an elevator.

“Hello, Mr. Stark,” a robotic voice greeted, making the trio jump.

“Hello, FRIDAY,” Tony responded.  Rie and Peter exchanged wide-eyed glances. “Can we go to where the team is meeting?”

“Yes, we can.”  A few seconds later, the elevator doors opened to a kitchen, full of people gathered around a large table.  When they noticed the age of these people, all three teens stiffened. _Adults_.  All looking about the same age as most PSFs at the camps, somewhere between 18 and 40.  Tony, noticing their discomfort, turned to them and said,

“These men and women are some of the kindest people I have ever known.  If they were any danger to you, I wouldn’t be having you meet them. Are you okay with this happening now?” The trio nodded, and Tony turned to the team.

“Guys, when I informed you about the Initiative, I had already had my sights on these three.”  Rie and Citana shared a narrowed glance. “They are smart, resilient, have shown great critical thinking skills, and, most impressively, demonstrated extreme control over their abilities.  While I have not even begun to learn their stories, I hope that they stick around for me, and the rest of you, to learn them. This is Citana, Peter, and Rie.” Tony gestured to each of them in turn as he finished.  Then, the entire group of adults went around and said their names. Natasha, Clint, Wanda, Steve, Bucky, and a few others Citana couldn’t remember the names of. Tony then led them to a seemingly empty floor of the tower.

“You can pick any room on this level.  Just please let me know which one you choose, so I or others on the team can find you if they need to.  No one will be going into anyone else’s room without permission,” he told them. “Take as much time as you want.”  Citana picked a room across the hall from the elevator, Rie picked the one next to hers, and Peter went with the one across the hall from the two girls.   Upon looking at the bed, Citana was suddenly aware of her stiff muscles and the bags under her eyes. She lay down on her bed for a second, and was immediately pulled into the blackness of sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the first part of this work! Comments are basically my writing food, so feel free to leave your opinions (nicely! being rude will only make me less eager to write) on the characters/my writing/what's happening in the fic!


End file.
